Oeville s



0. S. BLISS.

(No Mpdel.)

FENCE.

No. 304,161. Patnted Aug. 26; 1884.

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Unrren STATES Parana FFICE.

ORVILLE S. BLISS, OF GEORGIA, VERMONT.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 304,161, dated August 26, 1884.

Application filed May 31, 1883.

To all 1072 0112 it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORVILLE S. BLIss, of Georgia, in the county of Franklin and State of Vermont, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fences; and'I do hereby de clare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to portable fences. My object is to secure stability in the fence when set up in the field, to economize material and labor in the construction, to facilitate the setting up and taking down of the fence, and to render it more compact for transportation or storage. The various special constructions and combinations whereby these and other minor objects are accomplished in a simple form of fence are fully explained hereinafter, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a panel and a portion of two adjoining panels with the feet attached, the front brace of the right-hand foot being detached to show the brace-rods and the construction of the posts and tiepieces. Fig. 2is a perspective view of a panel with portions of the adjoining panels, showing the loop-connection. Fig. 3 shows a modi fied form of panel, the right-hand post of the adjoining panel being the same as those shown in the preceding figures. Fig. 4 is a modified form of post and foot. I

I first describe the main feature of my invention, the broadened feet, which may be made detachable or not, but which I greatly prefer to make detachable, and for which I have devised special constructions, adapting them to be detached for facility in transportation and storage. This foot is composed of two inclined braces, c a, which may be cut from two-by-four-inch scantling. Two of these placed opposite, as shown in the figures, are connected by means of strips b, preferably of inch board, one on each side of the inclined braces to. These tie the braces together, being securely nailed thereto. The tie-pieces b may be cut with gains 1, to let in the inclined ends of the posts. This foot, made as above described, is adapted'to hold the fence. In it the posts 13 B may be set, as shown in Figs. 1

and 2.

The posts are made, preferably, of three-by- (No model.)

four-inch scantliug, set with the broader side across the line of fence. This gives an edge breadth of six inches to the posts, where the two posts BB come together, as they do when set in the foot, and thus a part of the inclined end of the post bears on the inclined gain of the tie. This gives vertical support, and the upper inclined ends of the braces to a,bearing snugly against the sides of the post, afford them lateral as well as vertical support. The form of the feet is adapted to give any required amount of bracing, as it may be modified to give greater or less base, as may be desired. The bracing is also lateral, which is in the direction required. I also insert a nail or stud, 5, in the foot of. the post, which nail or stud, resting on the upper edges of the braces, upholds the post. The posts are thus held securely at the bottom by the tie-pieces andbraces of the feet. I have devised a convenient and cheap way of securing them at the top. It consists in forming a loop of a separate piece of wire by carrying this wire, after attaching it to a part of one panel, around the adjoining post of the next panel, and back to the first, and stapling it to the oppositeside. This is shown at 3, Figs. 1 and 2. This loop 3 remains permanently attached to the post, and this post is first set in the foot. The next posti. 6., the first of the next panel-is put in place by slipping the lower end into its place in the foot, and bringing the upper end against the post already set. The loop is then drawn down upon the end. I may also omit one tie of each foot, and form a loop, 6, as in Fig. 3, at the bottom, similar to that hereinbefore described. In this casethe tie-piece is nailed to the post, and the loop 6 is on the opposite panel from the loop 3. It is not necessary to cut the posts with inclined lower ends, though these wedgethe posts .of each foot together. The lower end may be cut square, as shown at 7, Fig. 3. I prefer, also, to insert a pair of bolts or large nails, 8 8, through the ties on each side the posts, to give lateral support to the post-bottoms, as in Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be understood that, with the exceptions mentioned above, both posts are removable, or may be, from each foot. This is advantageous in hauling to and from, as the fence is changed, or in storing.

This fence is bulky and inconvenient to handle when the feet are fixed to the panels. Each panel is composed of one or more rails and wires connecting pairs of posts. The rail d, I form out of scantling, preferably as wide as the posts. It acts as a strut to hold the posts apart, and sustain the strain of the wires 9, 10, and 11. These are preferably the ordinary barbed wire.

In case the fence be set to inclose sheep, which are specially liable to injury from barbed wire, I place the wire on the outside of the inclosure, and the wide scantling, strut, or bar serves as a guard-rail to keep the sheep from the wires, as in Fig. 3. To some extent it so acts in case of other animals. Care must of course be taken in stretching the wires not to turn the panel out of square.

The posts may be held in the feet by means of rabbets, as shown at 13 in Fig. 4:, the space between the upper ends of the braces a a be- {)ng in this case a little narrower, to fit the rabets.

It will be apparent that the posts of one panel may be attached to the foot at each end of the pane], and this may be done by nailing the lower end of the post to the tie; but, as before said, I do not deem this desirable, for the reason that both the panels and feet may be handled and stored separately with greater convenience.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a portable fence, the foot composed of I to the first and secured, substantially as described.

3. The described feet composed of braces and ties, the ties being cut with inclined gains, adapted to and in combination with posts of panels, said posts having inclined'or beveled ends, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ORVILLE S. BLISS.

\Vitnesses:

NATHAN N. Posrr, M. H. ALEXANDER. 

